“Tanzania is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places on our planet”. Photographer Wim Demessemaekers does not hide his love for this country on Africa’s east coast. And neither does his good friend, travel companion and chef Axel Janssens: “This is the place where I can find peace. There is no better place for me to cook creatively in nature”. Axel has been a chef in Tanzania for 14 years and has his own lodge: Onsea House. As one of Tanzania’s most sought-after chefs he has been flown into the country’s most exotic locations to cook, earning him the nickname “The Flying Chef”. When Wim came to stay as a guest in his lodge the two quickly became friends and the idea of a book was born.

“We went on a journey of 23 weeks and covered about 5000 km’s” Wim says. The result is ‘A taste of Tanzania’: a coffee table book that captures the spirit, soul and character of the country. And of course…its taste! Included in the book are some of Axels most authentic Tanzanian recipes.

The Serengeti is beauty as far as the eye can see. The lands spread out over more than 30.000 square km. About half of that is the Serengeti National Park, one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves.

The chaotic Central Market in Arusha is worth an hour or two of strolling time. The market is an explosion of color with a wildly varied display of products in every nook and cranny. It really is the heart of the city.

One of Tanzania’s most overlooked places is Tarangine National Park. This gem has everything, yet remains quite undiscovered. From elephants to giant baobab trees and curious buffalo’s: the staggering amount of wildlife and stunning nature in Tarangine is mind blowing.

They grow no food, raise no livestock and live without a calendar: the Hadza are the world’s last hunter-gatherers. Living unchanged, just as their predecessors have for thousands of years.

It is considered the Mother of all Craters: the Ngorongoro Crater. It is situated northwest of Arusha and a true safari Walhalla. The crater is 600 meters long and one of the best places in the world to see cheetahs and lions. In short: a real safari paradise!

The Maasai may well be Tanzania’s most fascinating tribe. They are famed for their warrior dance where they fiercely jump high into the air. You may have an encounter with these kind people in Manyara National Park.

The photos above are of course only a very small preview from the 341 pages book ‘A Taste of Tanzania’. If you want to see more go to www.atasteoftanzania.com